Refrigerator-door construction



Dec. 25, 1923. mmmm A. W. ROWLEY ET AL REFRIGERATOR DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed July 15. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l zzzzy 19 4 Z 5 7 f EM Dec. 25, 1923. L478A A. W. ROWLEY ET AL.

REFRIGERATOR DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed July 15, 1922 2 neets=$heet B Patented Dec... 25, 119233.-

TO HARDER MANUFACTURING CORPORATION, OF COBLESri. i

PORATION OF NEW YORK.

. Mano UNHTEELD. stars, earns oer-no- ALFRED w. nowLEY nti) FRANK H. RYDER, or COBLESKILL, NEW YORK, assronons NEW YORK, A COB- nnrmennAron-Doon consrnucrron.

Application filed July 15,

T all whom it may concern:

-Be it known that we, ALFRED W. RowLEY and FRANK H. RYDER, both citizens of the United States, and residing at Cobleskill, b in the county of Schoharie andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerator-Door Construction, of which the following is'a specification.

This invention relates to refrigerator doors and to a method of making the same, and more particularly relates to a refrigerator door ,having a pan on the rear side thereof, to a method of mounting the door pan upon such door, and to a method of assembling the door.

One of the aims of this invention is to provide a refrigerator door which may be constructed cheaply'and quickly, and one which is durable and serves its intended purpose efiioiently. A further'object of this invention is to provide a method whereby a refrigerator door having apan on itsrear side may be quickly and cheaply constructed and assembled, and another object of this invention is to provide improved means for se curing the pan in place on the door. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. f

In accordance with this invention, the

to cover the door opening, and a marginally flanged pa'n mounted on and secured to the rear side of the outer portion, or to a frame formed or secured thereon, by means of metal retaining strips which are secured to the outer portion, or to the frame portion, and which have marginal inturned flanges overlapping and interlocking with the flanges of the pan. Preferably the flanges of the pan are slidable in the grooves rovided by the retaining strips, so that w en one of the retaining strips is removed from the door. the pan may be placed in position on the door or removed erefrom by a sliding movement. When th pan has been slid in this manner into position on the door, the absent retaining strip may be easily "adjuste'd into position with its flange portion overlapping and interlocking with the unengaged flange of the pan, and the strlp may then be secured to the outer door portion or to the frame thereon, or, if the strip is carried on an unsecured'frame member,

door includes an outer portion large enough 1922. Serial a... 575,329.

this frame member may be adjusted and secured in proper position on the door.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and in the several steps, and the relation to each of the others there of which will be exemplified in the hereinafter disclosed method, and the scope of the application of the invention will be indicated in the claims that follow.

In order that a clearer understanding of this invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and i1- lustrating several possible structural embodiments of this invention, and several various methods of construction and assembly. Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is "an elevation of the rear side of a door em bodying our invention, certain parts being section of a portion of the door, and is taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the pan portion of the door detached therefrom; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a form useful in assembling the door; Fig. 5 is a plan view showing used to locate frame members on the outer door portion; Fig. 6 is a plan view of a shield useful in assembling the door, and shows how the retaining strips are associated therewith; Fig. 7 is a plan view showing how the shield and the form serve in assembling together the frame portions, the retaining strips, and the outer door portion; Fig. 8 is a plan view showing the shield and one frame member and retaining strip removed to permit of the application of the ow the form is- Referring to the embodiment of the ini vention illustrated in the drawings, the door comprises an outer portion 1, adapted to cover a door opening, and may also com flangd portion 2, which is adapted rp ginally overlap a wall about such dooro -enng when the door is closed, and a rabet portion 3, which is adapted to snugly fit- 4. If desired, insulating medium, such as waterproof paper 5, may be glued to or be otherwise secured over, a portion of the inner surface of the portion 1.

As shown in the drawings, the rear side of door portion 1 carries a rectangular frame, which may be formed as an integral part of portion 1, although preferably this frame is built up of the positioning strip 15, the inner sheet of insulating material 12 and the four separate frame members or mould- -ing strips 6 which are secured to door portion 1 by means of glue, nails or other suitable means. Frame members 6 are adapted to extend within a door opening when the door is closed. A pan 7, preferably metallic, and having marginal flanges 8, is supported and held in place on frame members 6 by means of metal retaining strips 9, which are secured to frame members 6 by means of nails 10, or the like, and which have marginal inturned flanges 11 overlapping and interlocking with the marginal flanges 8 of the pan 7. Preferably the flanges 8 of the .pan 7 are slidable in the grooves provided by the flanges 11 of the retaining strips 9, so that when one of the retaining'strips 9, or a frame member 6 with its retaining strip 9 thereon, is removedfrom the door, the pan 7 may easily and quickly be placed in position on the door or be removed therefrom by sliding the pan into or out of the grooves of the positioned strips 9. By this means a rigid and durable construction is obtained,

' and the pan is securely and firmly held in place on the door. If desired, there may be placed in the pan a suitable insulating device. The feature of having a refrigerator door soundproof is very desirable, since a metal door that produces a tin-like sound when struck creates an unfavorable impres- To avoid this sound the insulating device ma be constructed of one or more wooden mem ers 13 on each side of which aresecured, as by means of glue, or

nails 14:, or the like, one or more resilient sheets 12 of insulating material, suchas jute board. The insulating device ismade to be a trifle thicker than is the depth of -the. pan, so, that the device presses uniformly against; the adjacent surface of the an, and prevents the pan from producing the objectionable tin-like sound when struck. -The insulating device may be held in place by means of a reenforcing and positioning strip 15 placed on the rear side of the door portion 1, and

by means of portions 16 of strips '9, which extend interiorly of frame members 6, the insulating device being held firml against the pan, centrally by strip 15 and marginally by portions 16; This invention, however, is not limited to adoor Having an insulating device, nor to the insulating device specifically described. I

Many different methods of assembling the door may be followed. For instance, three of the moulding strips 6 with their retaining strips 9 are secured in proper position on the door member 1. Then the opposite flanges of pan 7 are inserted in the corresponding opposite grooves provided by opposite mounted strips 9 and the pan is slid into position with its flanges 8 on three sides interlocking with the anges 11 of the mounted, retaining strlps 9. Then ,the-

fourth -moulding piece 6 with its retaining strip 9 is adjusted into-proper position so that the flange 11 of this strip overlaps and interlocks with the flange, on the unengaged side of pan 7 and this strip 9 is then socured in place, as by means of nails 17, or

by means ofglue or the like. Obviously,

this last moulding piece 6may be secured to the outer member 1 before the panis slid into position, if its retaining strip is removed, and in this event this retainingstrip 9 may be adjusted and secured in lace on this moulding strip as the final operation in the assembly of thedoor. The insulating paper 5, reinforcin strip 15'and the insulating material 12 should be assembled into the construction before pan 7 is slid into final position, if these elements are desired. From the above it will be apparent that our improved method permits v of the construction of a durable and efficient refrigerator door quickly and cheaply.

It is also possible to assemble the doorsquickly and cheaply, and to secure --.;-the

proper relative adjustment and positioning of the various component parts by'means of a method which involves theuse of a form and a shield. The form-18 serves tolocate the moldingstrips 6 in-their pi oper positionon the door-portion l, and the shield 19 serves to locate the retaining strips 9 in their proper positions on the frame members 6.

For assembling a rectangular door, the form 18 has a rectangular opening, and its inner periphery has surfaces 20 against which the outer periphery of the door portion 1 is adapted to come, and the inner periphery of the form 18 also has surfaces 21-which serve to locate the molding strips 6 in proper position on the outer door portion 1. The shield 19 comprises a rectangular sheet of suitable material, such as sheet metal, slightly thicker than the thickness of the pan flanges 8. The shield or plate 19 servesto locate retaining strips 9 carried on the edges of this shield in proper position on the frame members 6. In accordance with this method. the outer door portion 1 is located inthe form 18. Then moldingstrips. 6 are placed on the inner surface of the portion 1 with their outer edges in contact with the surfaces 21 of the frame 18. Molding strips 9 are 10- cated on the edges of the shield or plate 19, and the shield or plate 19 with these strips 9 is then placed upon the frame members 6 as shown in Fig. 7. Shield 19 is supplied with suitable holes 22 to locate nails. Long nails 23 are driven through holes 22, through strips 9, through frame members 6. and into the outer door portion 1 but on three sides only. Shorter nails 24; are driven through the holes 22 and the strip 9 and into its frame member 6 on the remaining side, but these .nails 24 do not go into the outer door portion 1. Loose frame member 6 is then removed, carrying with it strip 9 attached thereto by means of the nails 24. Shield 19 is then slid out from the retaining strips 9. The pan 7 is now slid into place on the door, and the unsecured molding piece 6 adjusted and secured to the door by means of nails 17 as in the method described in the preceding paragraph. When the shield, which is a trifle thicker than the pan flanges. is removed, the pan may be easily slid into the grooves of the secured retaining strips 9,

' as nails or screws or the like. and the door may be separated at any time In every case of attaching members, except metal members 9, glue may be used as well The form 18 after three of the strips 6 have been secured in position.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and method, and as many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be' interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What we claim is 1. A door, comprising, in combination, an outer portion, a frame on the rear side of said outer portion adapted to form adeadair space, and a pan mounted on said frame by means of metal retaining strips on said frame and having flanges interlocking with flanges on the pan.

2. A door, comprising, in combination, an outer portion, a frame on the rear side of said outer portion adapted to form a deadair space, and a pan mounted on the rear of said framev by means of metal retaining strips secured to the rear side of said frame, and having flanges interlocking with flanges on the pan.

3. A door, comprising, in combination,

an outer portion, moulding strips secured to' the rear side-of said outer portion and forming a rectangular frame, a. metal retaining strip secured to each of said moulding strips, a pan having marginal flanges, and marginal inturned flanges on said retaining strips overlapping and interlocking with the flanges of said pan.

4. A door, comprising, in combination, an

outer portion, moulding strips secured to the rear side ofsa1d outer portion and formlng a rectangular frame, a metal retaining strip secured to the rear face of each of,

said moulding strips, a pan having marginal flanges contlnuous around the corners and forming a continuous encircling flange, and

marginal' inturned flanges on said retaining strips overlapping and interlocking with the flange of said pan.

5. A door, comprising, in combinatlon, an

outer portion, a frame on the rear side of said outer portion, a pan mounted on said frame by means of metal retainlng' strlps secured to the rear side of said frame and having flanges interlocking with flanges on the pan, insulating materialwithin said pan, and portions of said retaining strips extending inwardly of said frame, overlapping said insulating material, and retaining said material within the pan.

6. In a door, the combination with an outer portion, a frame on the rear side of said outer portion having a covering adapted to form a dead-air space and a pan thereon, of insulating and sound deadening means associated therewith, said means comprising resilient insulating material pressing uniformly over the under surface ofsaid pan whereby a second air space is provided.

7. In a door, the combination with a pan thereon, of an insulating and sound-regulating device within said pan, said device comprising a wooden member and a' sheet of resilient jute board secured to each side of said member, said device being thicker than the depth of the pan, and means, comprising pan with flanges of .retainin strips secured on the door, sliding the pan lnto position on the door, adjusting each unsecured retaining strip into position of engagement with a pan flange, and securing each unsecured strip in position on the door. v

9. The method of mounting a marginally flanged pan upon a door by means of four frame members, each carrying a retaining strip providing a flange adapted to slidably interlock with a pan flange, which consists of securing three of said frame members in position on the door, engaging flanges of the pan with flanges provided by retaining strips carried on secured frame. members, sliding said pan into position on said door with flanges thereof interlocking with the flanges of the retaining strips carried by the three secured frame-members, adjusting'thefourth and unsecured frame member "with its retaining stri into position, with the flange of its retaining strip interlocking with a flange of said pan, and securing said fourth frame member to said door.

10. The method ofmounting a marginally flanged pan upon (a door, which consists of locating frame members on the rear side of said door by means of a form, locating retaining strips on said frame by means of a shield, securing said retaining strips to said frame members and some of said frame members to the door, removing one of said frame members with its retaining strip, removing the shield, positioning a pan on said door in engagement with said positioned re- I taming strips, and adjusting and securing said unsecured frame member with its retaining strip in place on the door and in engagement with said pan.

11. A device for assembling frame members with an outer door portion, which comprises a form having means for locating an outer door portion in fixed relation to said form andfproviding means for locating frame members in fixed relation to said form and door portion.

This specification signed this 11 day of July, 1922.

ALFRED lV.-ROWLEY.

FRANK'H. RYDER. 

